Turbine-motor.



PATENTED DEC. 20, 1904.

N. W. FLETCHER.

TURBINE MOTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 23. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET N0 MODEL.

PATENTED DEC. 20, 1904.

N. W. FLETCHER.

TURBINE MOTOR.

APPLIGATIOH FILED MAY 23. 1904.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES NATHAN W. FLETCHER, OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS,

Patented December 20, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO RATION OF ILLINOIS.

TURBINE-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,850, dated December20, 1904. Application filed May 23, 1904. Serial No. 209,398.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN W. FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago Heights, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTurbine-Motors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and

I0 to the letters of reference marked thereon,

which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in turbine-motors of that classin which the rotative part or member of the motor is provided with aplurality of annularly-arranged blades or buckets and the stationarypart thereof is provided with a plurality of delivery openings ornozzles operating to direct a series of jets of air or other fluid underpressure against said blades or buckets.

The apparatus herein shown as embodying my invention is in a small andcompact form and designed more particularly for use in connection withor as a part of a portable polish-' ing or grinding tool. The novelfeatures of my invention are, however, applicable to motors orturbine-tools for other purposes.

As shown in the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in central horizontal section,

taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 7, of amotor embodying my invention. Fig. 2 isasectional view taken on said line 7 7 of Fig. 1, showing the stationarypart or member of the motor. Fig.

3 is a like section of the valve-ring of the motor. Fig. 4 is a likesection of a covering associated with the valve-ring. Fig. 5

is a like section taken through the rotative member of the motor andparts which rotate or turn therewith. Fig. -6 is a perspective view of arock-shaft by which the valve-ring is actuated. Fig. 7 is a view incentral vertical section, taken through the rotative and non-rotativeparts of the motor, taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8is aface view ofthe valve actuating ring of the motor, together with the non-rotativeannular member associated therewith. Fig. 9 is a face view of saidvalveactuating ring. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the slidinggovernor-weights. Fig.

11 is a detail section taken inthe plane of the actuating-arm of therock-shaft shown in Fig. 6 on line 11 11 of Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is a detailsection taken upon line 12 12 of Fig. 1. As shown in said drawings, Adesignates the stationary or non-rotative bo ly or member of the motor,which is generally of disk form, and B indicates the rotative member orwheel of the motor, which is also of circular or disk form and which isprovided at its periphery with aseries of curved blades or buckets Z) 6,which project from the side face of the disk toward the stationary partA and are attached to a supplementary annular supporting-ring B,arranged parallel with the marginal part of the disk B at the inner facethereof. Said rotative member B is mounted to turn on a central shaft orspindle C, which is mounted in and secured atits ends to standards D Don a base-plate D. The nonrota tive member A of the motor is locatedadjacent to the standard D, and the shaft C passes through a centralaperture in said non-rotative member A, which latter is rigidly securedto the shaft conveniently by means of a setscrew 0, which passes througha central hub a on the said part A and bears against said shaft. Thedisk B, forming the body of the rotative member or wheel, is attached toa central hub or sleeve E, which has bearing on the shaft C and projectsoutwardly from the face of the disk B. The outer part of said hub Econstitutes means for communicating motion from the rotative member ofthe motor to the parts to be driven. Said hub for this purpose is shownas provided with a groove 0, adapted to receive a round driving-belt, sothat the outer end of the hub in this instance constitutes abelt-pulley. Said hub E is shown as mounted on the shaft C by means ofantifriction ball-bearings consisting of cones C C on the shaft whichenter annular concentric grooves or recesses in the ends of said hub andbetween which and the said grooves or recesses are located balls 0 0.

Now referring to the arrangement of the parts by which the air orpressure fluid is directed to and acts upon the buckets 7) b of therotative member or wheel B, the memberA of said motor is provided with ahollow annular part A, which is of U shape in crosssection and providedwith two parallel cylindric inner and outer walls or flanges a" a, whichproject or extend within the annularlyarranged buckets 7), so that saidbuckets are located radially outside of the external annular flange aand move in a circular path exterior thereto. A cover-ring A is securedto the edges or margins of the flanges a a and forms therewith a closedannular passage A", to which air under pressure is supplied by means ofa supply-passage A, which is formed, as shown, within a radial rib onthe rear or outer face of the disk A and is adapted at its outer end forconnection therewith of an airsupply pipe. In the outer flange a isformed a plurality of outlet or jet openings (0*, the outer portions ofwhich are arranged at an angle to radial lines of the wheel and aredirected toward the concave faces of the buckets b b, as clearly seen inFig. 7. The inner margins of said buckets are arranged closely adjacentto but out of contact with the smooth exterior cylindric surface of saidannular flange (6 in which the outlet ports or openings (4* are formed.

Within the annular passage formed between the marginal parts of theflanges c a and adjacent to the cover-ring A is a rotative valvering F,which is made of U shape in crosssectional form, or, in other words.consists of inner and outer cylindric walls and a connecting-web joiningthe margins of the same adjacent to the cover-ring A In the outercylindric wall or flange f of the ring F are formed a series of ports oropenings f Said ports or openings f are arranged to register severallywith the outlet-ports a" in the nonrotat-ive member of the motor. Theinner portions of said ports (0* where said ports open through the innercylindric surface of the flange c are arranged radially, and the ports fare also arranged radially, as clearly shown in Fig. 7 Inasmuch as thehollow or U-shaped valve-ring F has its open side directed toward themain part of the passage A", air-supply to said passage A enters saidring throughout the entire circumference thereof and passes radiallyfrom the interior of said valvering and thence through the outletports(0*, the outflowing jets of air being directed laterally by the outerangularly-arranged parts of said ports (0, so that they leave thenon-rotative member of the motor in adirection to impinge upon thecurved faces of the buckets Z) 7). When said ports f are in exactregister with the ports (o a maximum quantity of air passes outwardlythrough each of the ont-letports; but by turning or shifting thevalve-ring F within the stationary member of the motor the air-supplymay be cut off to a greater or less extent, as desired, for controllingthe speed of the motor. Devices are provided for automatically actuatingthe said valve-ring F, which are made as follows: The portion of the hubE which projects inside the disk-shaped portion B of the rotative memberof the motor is made cylindric on its outer surface, and on saidcylindric portion of said hub is mounted a valve-actuating ring Gr,

which turns or rotates with the hub, but which is movable inwardly andoutwardly thereon toward and from said disk B. Said ring G is yieldinglyheld in its outward position, or adjacentto the disk B. bysuitably-applied springs. Said springs, as herein shown, and illustratedin Fig. 5, have the form of spirally-coiled springs II, interposedbetween shoulders on the outer face of the disk B and inwardly-facingshoulders formed by the heads of screws I, which pass through holes insaid disk and have screw-tln'eaded engagement with the ring E. Thedrawings show three of said screws I as indicated in Fig. 8, one only ofsaid screws, with its associated spring H, being illustrated in Figs. 1and 5. In the outer face of the ring G, or that adjacent to the disk B,are formed a plurality of concentric recesses, (indicated by J J andmore clearly shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 10.) The outer walls of saidrecesses are provided with oblique bearing-surfaces jj, and in saidrecesses are located centrifugally-acting weights K K, which are ofsegmental form or curved to correspond with the circular form of thering. Said weights K K are Wedge-shaped in cross-section, having outeroblique bearing-surfaces 7117c, adapted to fit and slide on the obliquebearing-surfaces j of the ring G, and having flat bearing-surfaces is,adapted to bear against the inner face of the disk B, which in itsportion opposite the said ringG is provided with a flat bearing-surfaceI), which is perpendicular to the central axis of the motor. In theoperation of these parts the weights K K when thrown or moved radiallyoutward by centrifugal action, due to rotation of the valve-actuatingring G with the rotative member of the motor, shde radially outwardly onthe flat bearing-surface b of the disk B, and their oblique outerbearing-faces is acting on the oblique bearing-surfaces 7 of therecesses J in the valve-actuating ring G serve to give inward movementof the said actuating-ring on the hub E. A connecting device is providedbetween the said valve-actuating ring G and the valve-ring F, by whichsaid valve-ring is turned or rotated during the inward or outwardmovement of the said ring on the hub E, as follows: Said ring G islocated within the cylindric space or chamber formed by the inner flangea of the disk, the outer or marginal surface of said actuating-ringbeing preferably made cylindric and arranged adjacent to but out ofcontact with the inner cylindric surface of said flange (4 In theannular portion of the non-rotative member B of the motor and radiallyexterior to the valve-actuating ring is located a rockshaft L, thecentral axis of which is arranged radially with respect to the centralaxis of the motor and which is mounted to turn in a suitable bearing.Said bearing, as herein shown, is formed by a groove ((1 in thecover-ring A Figs. 4 and 11. At its inner end the said rockshaft L isprovided with a crank-arm Z, having a crank-pin Z that projects inwardlypast the inner face of the flange a and engages an annular groove g,formed in the exterior or marginal surface of the valve-actuating ringGr. Said crank-pin Z extends inwardly from the inner face of the flange0 while the crankarm Z is located within a notch or opening a Figs. 1and 2,formed in the inner margin of said flange a The said crank-shaft Lis held'in the radial bearing-groove a in the inner face of thecover-ring A by the valve-ring F, the side face of which bears againstthe said shaft, as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4E, and 11. Saidrock-shaftL is also provided with a rigid actuating-arm Z which extendstoward the valve-ring F and enters a recess f, which is formed in theface of said valve-ring adjacent to the said rock-shaft. The extremityof said rock-shaft Z closely engages a socket formed at the inner partof the recess as clearly seen in Fig. 11. These parts are so arrangedthat when the valve-actuating ring F is moved inwardly 0r outwardly uponthe hub E the engagement of its peripheral groove g with the crank-pin Zmoves or oscillates the rockshaft L, thereby swinging the free end ofthe actuating-arm Z which is engaged with the recess in the valve-ringG, in a direction to shift or turn the said valve-ring, the'movements sogiven to the valve-ring being equal to or only slightly greater than theWidth of the ports f or a. These parts are so arranged, moreover, thatwhen the actuatingring G is at the outward limit of its movement, oradjacent to the disk B, in which position it is held by the springs H,the valvering will be held in position with the outletports a fullyopen. When, however, a desired or predetermined speed of rotation in themotor is exceeded, the action of the centrifugal weights K acting on theinclined surfaces of .the actuating-ring will shift the latter inwardly,thereby turning the rock-shaft L and giving movement to the valve-ring Fin a direction to partially or Wholly close the said ports.

By the construction described, therefore, provision is made forautomatically controlling or regulating the size of the outlet-portswhich the air is delivered in jets to the blades of the rotative memberof the motor, thereby enabling the quantity of air delivered to beincreased or decreased, according to the speed desired in the motor.

The regulating device described manifestly not only prevents the motorfrom turning at a speed greater than that desired, but controls thespeed of rotation thereof'when the motor is doing no work+as, forinstance, if

a grinding-tool be driven by the motor when said grinding-tool is freefrom contact with the work the motor would acquire a very high rate ofspeed were it not for the regulating device, which under suchcircumstances cuts off the air-supply and reduces the speed of rotation.

The controlling device may obviously be regulated or controlled byturning the screws 1 I so as to give a greater or less tension to thesprings H, said springs H being thus capable of adjustment, so that theywill yield under the action of the weights K K when the desired speed isexceeded, cutting off the supply of air to the extent required andsupplying air in quantity sufflcient to maintain only the desired speedof rotation. If such speed of rotation be reduced through the resistanceafforded by the tool in doing the work, then the springs through theirexpansion will overcome the centrifugal action of the weights and movethe valve-ring F so as to fully open the outlet-ports and give theincreased quantity of air or pressure fluid required for driving thetool when doing its work.

A casing or housing adapted to surround the blades or buckets on therotative member of the motor is formed as follows: On the outer marginof the disk-shaped body A of the non-rotative part of the motor,external to the supply-passage A, is formed a radial flange A, Figs. 1and 2, which extends outwardly past the blades or buckets on therotative member of the motor, and to the outer margin of said flange Ais secured an annular casing-section A consisting of a cylindric outerwall having an inwardly extending annular flange A which extendsinwardly past and overlaps the marginal portion of the disk B,constituting the body of the rotative member of the motor. Said flange Ais arranged with its inner margin closely adjacent to but not in actualcontact with the marginal part of said disk B. The annular casing orhousing formed by the flange A and the cas ing-section A is providedwith an exhaust port or nozzle A, through which is delivered theexhaust-air from the motor. The casingsection A is shown as connectedwith the flange A by means of bolts 6/, Figs. 1 and 7.

I claim as my invention- 1. Aturbine-motor comprising non-rotative androtative members, said non-rotative member being provided with anannular supplypassage provided with a plurality of discharge-apertures,and the rotative member having a series of annularly-arranged blades orbuckets, a rotative valve-ring having ports which act in connection withthe said dischargeapertures, a laterally-movable rotative valveactuatingring carried by the said rotative member, actuating connections betweensaid valve-actuating ring and the said valve-ring, spring-actuated meansfor moving the valve- IIO ring in one direction, andcentrifugally-acting weights carried by the rotative member and actingon said valve-actuating ring to move or shift the valve-ring in theopposite direction.

2. A turbine-motor comprising non-rotative and rotative members, saidnon-rotative member being provided with an annular supplypassageprovided with a plurality of discharge-apertures, and the rotativemember having a series of annularly-arranged blades or buckets, arotative valve-ring having ports which act in connection with the saiddischargeapertures, a laterally-movable rotative valveactuating ringcarried by the said rotative member, actuating connections between saidvalve-actuating ring and the said valve-ring, spring-actuated means formoving the valvering in one direction, and centrifugally-acting weightscarried by the rotative member and acting on said valve-actuating ringto move or shift the valve in the opposite direction, saidvalve-actuating ring being provided with oblique bearing-surfaces andthe said weights being adapted to slide radially on the said rotativemember and having oblique faces engaging those on the saidvalve-actuating ring.

3. A turbine-motor comprising non-rotative and, rotative members, saidnon-rotative member being provided with an annular supplypassageprovided with a plurality of discharge-apertures, and the rotativemember having a series of annularly-arranged blades or buckets, arotative valve-ring having ports which act in connection with the saiddischargeaperturcs, a laterally-movable rotative valveactuating ringcarried by the said rotative member, spring actuated means acting tomove the valve-ring in one direction, centrifugally-acting weightscarried by the rotative member and acting on said valve-actuating ringto move the valve-ring in the opposite direction and actuatingconnections between said actuating-ring and the valve-ring embracing acircumferential groove in said valveactuating ring, and a rock-shaftmounted in the stationary member of the motor and provided with a crank-arm engaging said groove and with a rigid actuating-arm engaging saidvalve-ring.

4c. A turbine-motor comprising non-rotative and rotative members, saidnon-rotative member being provided with an annular supplypassageprovided with a plurality of dischargeapertures arranged to open outwardthrough an exterior cylindric wall of said passage, and the rotativemember having a series of annularly-arranged blades or buckets moving ina path exterior to said annular passage, a rotative valve-ring locatedinside of said exterior cylindric wall of said passage, and having portscorresponding with said outlet-apertures, a valve-actuating ring mountedon the rotative member and extending into the space inclosed by saidannular passage, spring-actnated means acting to move the valve-ring inone direction, centrifugally-acting weights carried by the rotativemember and acting on said valve-actuating ring to give'lateralmovementto the same and actuating connections between said valve-actuating ringand the valve comprising an annular groove in the exterior face of saidvalve-actuating ring, a radiallyarranged rock-shaft mounted in thenon-rotative member of the motor and provided with a crank-arm engagingsaid groove and with an actuating-arm engaging said valve-ring.

5. A turbine-motor comprising non-rotative and rotative members, saidnon-rotative member being provided with an annular supplypassageprovided with a plurality of dischargeapertures, and the rotative memberhaving a series of annularly-arranged blades or buckets, a rotativevalve-ring having ports which act in connection with the saiddischarge-apertures, a laterally-movable rotative valve-actuating ringcarried by the said rotative member, actuating connections between saidvalveactuating ring and the said valvering, centrifugally-acting weightscarried by the rotative member and acting on said valve-actuating ringto laterally move or shift the same, a plurality of screws inserted inthe valveactuating ring and having sliding engagement with the rotativemember of the motor, and springs interposed between the heads of saidscrews and an opposing surface of said rotative member.

6. Aturbine-motorcomprisingnon-rotative and rotative members, saidnon-rotative member being provided with an annular supplypassage havinga plurality of discharge-apertures and the rotative member having aseries of annularly-arranged blades or buckets, a retative valve-ringhaving ports which act in connection with said discharge-apertures, alaterally movable rotative valve actuated ring carried by said rotativemember, springactuated means acting to turn the valve-ring in onedirection, actuating connections between said valve-actuating ring andsaid valvering, said valve-actuating ring being provided in one of itslateral faces With a plurality of weight-receivin g recesses havingouter oblique bearing-surfaces and the said centrifugallyacting weightsbeing located within said recesses and being adapted to slide on anopposing bearing-surface of the rotative member.

7. A turbine motor comprising non-rotative and rotative members, saidnon-rotative member beingprovided with an annular supplypassage having aplurality of discharge-apertures, and the rotative member consisting ofa disk provided at its periphery with a series of annularly-arrangedblades or buckets, a rotative valve-ring having ports which act inconnection with said discharge-apertures, a rotative valve-actuatingring carried by the said rotative member, springs applied between saidvalve-actuating ring and the rotative member and acting to move saidring toward the said disk-shaped body thereof, and centrifugally-actingweights interposed between the said disk-shaped body of the rotativemember and the said valve-actuating ring, said weights being adapted toslide on the said disk-shaped body of the rotative member and the saidweights, and the valve-actuating ring being provided with obliquebearing or contact surfaces, and actuating connections between the saidvalve-actuating ring and the valve-ring.

8. A turbine-motor comprising non-rotative and rotative members, saidnon-rotative member being provided with an annular supplypassage havinga plurality of discharge-apertures and the rotative member consisting ofa disk provided at its periphery with a series of annularly-arrangedblades or buckets, a rotative valve-ring having ports which act inconnection with said discharge-apertures, a rotative valve-actuatingring carried by the said rotative member, springs applied between saidvalve-actuating ring and the rotative member tending to move said ringtoward the said disk-shaped body thereof, centrifugally-acting weightsinterposed between the said disk-shaped body of the rotative member andthe said valve-actuating ring, said weights being adapted to slide onthe said disk-shaped body of the rotative member and the said weights,and the valve-actuating ring being provided with oblique bearing orcontact surfaces, and actuating connections between the saidvalve-actuating ring and the valve-ring, embracing an annular groove inthe actuating-ring and a radially-arranged rock-shaft mounted in thenon-rotative member of the motor and provided with a crankarm engagingsaid annular groove and provided with an actuating-arm engaging saidvalve-ring.

9. A turbine-motor comprising non-rotative and rotative members, saidnon-rotative member consisting of a disk-shaped body provided with anannular supply-passage formed by inner and outer cylindric flanges onsaid body,

and a cover-ring applied to the margins ofthe said flanges, said annularsupply-passage having a plurality of discharge-passages and the rotativemember having a series of annularlyarranged blades or buckets, arotative valve-ring of U form in cross-section located within saidannular supply-passage and having ports which act in connection withsaid discharge-apertures, a valve-actuating ring carried by the saidrotative member, actuating connections between said valve-actuating ringand the said valve-ring, spring-actuated means applied to move thevalve-ring in one direction, and cent-rifugally -acting weights carriedby the rotative member and acting on the said valve-actuating ring tomove or shift the said valve-ring in the opposite direction.

10. A turbine-motor comprising non-rotative and rotative members, saidnon-rotative member being made of disk formand having an annularsupply-passage provided with a plurality of outlet-passages, and therotative member consisting of a disk-shaped body provided with aplurality of buckets arranged radially exterior to said annular passageand a casing or housing consisting of a flange extending radiallyoutward from said diskshaped non-rotative member, an external wall andan inwardly-extending flange overlapping the marginal part of the saiddisk-shaped body of the rotative member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afliX mysignature, in presence of two witnesses, this 18th day of May, A. D.

NATHAN W. FLETCHER. Witnesses:

C. CLARENCE POOLE, GERTRUDE BRYCE.

